


The Wrong Game

by ModernAgeSomniari



Series: Mala Suledin Nadas [15]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, approval, mages disagreeing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26286763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ModernAgeSomniari/pseuds/ModernAgeSomniari
Summary: After their second strong disagreement about the status of mages, Vivienne is dismayed to see Herald coming in her direction again
Relationships: None
Series: Mala Suledin Nadas [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1829143
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	The Wrong Game

It had been quite some time since Vivienne had needed to calm herself down this way.Intellectually, she knew why this was different, but that neither made the anger less potent nor curbed the irritation at being made to feel it.Perhaps she had been at court for too long - she was getting lazy.

It wasn’t just that she disagreed with this new Herald of Andraste - she had disagreed with many people before.Nor was it that the Herald existed outside of the Game - Vivienne had taken great pleasure in instructing many scholars from all over Thedas of their academic failings.No, this particular woman was infuriating because her logic had no bearing to the Game at all.Nor to the Chantry.Vivienne was more than adept at wielding her learning to point out the flaws in most foolish arguments like Lavellan’s, but her reasoning meant nothing to this girl.On the contrary, they had barely made it to the more mainstream discussions around mage rights, so busy had they been questioning the fundamental definition of mages that made those discussions relevant.

Lack of preparation, that was what was making her so angry, Vivienne realised.When Lavellan had rebutted any question of the necessity of mage towers using the Dalish as an example of a society that needed no such thing, Vivienne did not have the tools available to argue the point.As such she was reduced to simply dismissing the point outright, which felt beneath her.She was no novice, of course. As soon as she had found out that the Herald was both a mage and a Dalish elf she had combed the library of the Winter Palace for every useful tome on the culture she hadn’t yet read.That, she quickly learned, was precious few.Not because she had read them all, but because every account of elven culture that was available was either monstrously out of date or so steeped in mind-numbingly simplified Chantry rhetoric she felt momentarily ashamed for the entirety of the Orlesian academic elite.

Thus, she had come to an argument she was not expecting, that had turned in a direction she should have foreseen, woefully unprepared.This was not a situation she cared to repeat, although she was slightly at a loss for how not to.The Herald clearly distrusted her greatly now - there was a defensiveness in her last few sentences that precluded a rather dull mental attitude suggesting any further actual intellectual debate was going to turn predictably cumbersome and personally affronted.How exceedingly dull.She was aware she could not blame the Herald for such an attitude.It seemed to be true that the Dalish did not have the space to carry books with them, so Lavellan couldn’t be accustomed to truly rigorous intellectual discourse, but Vivienne would have appreciated a little more time to gather the information about Dalish culture she needed before they got to the bullish stage.

She had developed just enough of a headache that the sight of the Herald darting out of the war room at the back of the Chantry had her sigh and turn to her books, away from the main body of the building.She did not wish to get into this discussion again, so did rather hope that the girl would pass her on her way out.

“Madame Vivienne?”

No such luck, it would seem.

“I am rather busy, darling.Perhaps we can pick this up another time.”

“Oh.It will only take a moment, I’m sure.I was wondering if I could ask your advice.”

Well that was unexpected.Vivienne turned, shrewd eyes skirting over the Herald’s crude (if rather fetching) attire to her face, where she noticed a slight rise of colour to her cheeks, a distinct widening of the eyes.Something had shaken her, clearly. 

“My advice?” she asked, knowing that for all the frost in her voice she might as well be standing back with her arms crossed.Lavellan did not look reassured.Good. “I believe we just established that my advice is not particularly welcome.”

“Not on magic.I think we’ve discussed that enough for today.” Lavellan said quietly, adding a rather surprisingly self-deprecating chuckle before looking directly up into Vivienne’s eyes.She had courage, Vivienne had to give her that much. 

Those big green eyes still slightly panicky, the Herald took a step towards her and her words all came out in a rush.“I was in the war room and they’re asking me to make some decisions because they can’t agree, which is fine.But there’s a problem just south of Val Royeux to do with the letter your friend sent and it’s to do with some nobles?Of different families?That I can’t remember the names of?And they’re having some disagreements about…about…um…something and the advisors want me to help them decide what to do.Me.Me, Madame Vivienne.Ellana Lavellan, First of Clan Lavellan.Being, as that name suggests, Dalish.And I thought to myself ‘why on earth invite an expert on the Orlesian court to join the Inquisition if you’re not going to use her’?Because, for some reason, they seem to think I’m qualified.”

There was something unavoidably charming about the genuine panic in her face that Vivienne was fighting a losing battle not to be swayed by.Apparently, however, the Herald wasn’t finished.“I know we don’t see eye to eye on some things.And I’m not stupid, so your advice wouldn’t be wasted.It’s just not my area of expertise and I know it’s yours.Will you advise me?”

Vivienne considered her and Lavellan, rather surprisingly, let her do it.She had to admit, she was rather taken aback by this approach.She had assumed that Lavellan would have taken such offence to their earlier disagreement that Vivienne would now be spurned to the Herald’s detriment.Still.

“You are aware we come from very different backgrounds, my dear?”

“That’s sort of the point, Madame Vivienne, yes. No one knows woods better than those who have had to survive in them except those who have learned to thrive in them.My woods are made up of actual trees.Yours are noble families with bewilderingly similar names.”

Vivienne resolved not to let the Herald see her smile at that particular comment, though from the sparkle of mischief in those same eyes that were so wide a moment ago, she perceived she had possibly failed.

“And you trust me to help you navigate these woods?”

Lavellan cocked her head, something like a smile on her face.Vivienne realised, not pleasantly, that it seemed she herself was being considered now.Whatever Lavellan had decided made her nod to herself, the grin widening.Goodness but she would never survive the Game.

“No.”

Vivienne’s eyebrows raised, pausing her own assumption in its tracks.Never say that Madame de Fer did not learn from the scant few mistakes she made.

“No?”

“No.However, I do trust that you have your own ideas about what is best in this situation and how best to resolve it so I think I can learn a lot from listening and watching you hunt in these woods.I also trust that you will see this as an opportunity to further any agenda you have yourself, which will be just as educational for me.You can learn just as much about hunting by being hunted as you can by hunting something yourself.”

Well.It had been a long time since anyone had stood in front of Vivienne and accused her to her face of planning to manipulate them.Oh, plenty of inferences and innuendo, but never flat out.She found it rather invigorating.

“What made you be honest with me?”

Lavellan was surprised enough by her choice of question that she laughed.A little too loudly, so the sound echoed in the Chantry proper and she flinched a little, coming closer with a conspiratorial smile like they’d both just been nearly caught filching chocolates from a Senior Enchanter’s desk.

“I don’t have much experience with the Game,” she admitted in an almost whisper.“But I do get the impression that plain talking isn’t part of it.Which made me wonder whether it wasn’t then actually quite a good weapon if used right.The huntmaster never let me go on hunts because he thought I’d be no use,” she explained at Vivienne’s questioning look.“Then I helped my brother win a contest by freezing a deer solid so it wouldn’t run from his bow and the look on his face was like he’d just swallowed a wasps’ nest!”

“Wasn’t that cheating, my dear?”

“Not at all,” Lavellan replied, affecting an extremely convincing innocent look.It was the touch of affronted, Vivienne thought, that sold it.“My brother was allowed to pick a second to help him.He picked me.The fact that the huntmaster had already decided I was useless was his mistake, not ours.”

Vivienne had underestimated this apostate.She had underestimated her greatly.A small approving smile graced her lips and she watched Lavellan notice, hope and challenge in her smirk.Vivienne could not find it in herself to care, impressed very much by Lavellan’s clear attitude to her assets and resources.That her pride after an argument was not going to get in the way of her practicality was an aspect to her personality Vivienne very much appreciated.Perhaps, despite their differences, she could still get her to listen, to make sure that no more damage was done to Vivienne’s people.This war was taking its toll and the stakes had never been so high.She couldn’t begin to forgive herself if she didn’t use every talent and skill the Maker had entrusted her to develop to protect and elevate those people who now so desperately needed someone on their side.Whether they could see it or not.

Which meant keeping the Herald sweet.The Herald who had just proved that she might be a lot more useful as an ally and dangerous as an enemy than Vivienne had initially predicted.It was rather delicious being wrong.Not that the Herald needed to know anything of the sort.

“I assume,” She began, moving away towards the open doors and expecting Lavellan to follow (which she did), “That you refer to the rumours that the Divine is not, in fact, dead?”

“Yes!” Lavellan replied, relief evident in her voice as it appeared that Vivienne was indeed going to help.“Only apparently just refuting it doesn’t work and we need to choose carefully what we say to who and when?”

Vivienne looked down at her, seeing nothing but an earnest desire to learn in Lavellan’s upturned eyes.She didn’t trust that look for a second.This assignment she’d given herself had just got significantly more interesting.

How marvellous. 

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'd just finished Hushed Whispers and done the rounds back at Haven, which meant that Eli and Vivienne's relationship by this point basically involved two flaming rows about the status of mages. However, the next thing I did was complete Viv's first war table quest, which rewards you with her approval. This didn't make sense to me, so I wrote a thing that made it make sense i.e. Eli is crap at politics and asks Viv's advice despite disagreeing with her. This speaks of a practicality and humility Vivienne approves of (plus we get a sneak peak of how Eli may or may not SLAY the Winter Palace).


End file.
